---
title: "General Secretary — Definition & Meaning | Model Diplomat"
description: "The General Secretary is the highest-ranking official in the Chinese Communist Party, serving as the country's paramount leader and head of the Politburo."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/general-secretary"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The General Secretary is the highest-ranking official of the Chinese Communist Party, heading its Central Committee and Politburo and serving as the country's paramount leader.
- How does the General Secretary differ from the President of China?
- When was the title General Secretary restored, and why?
- How is the General Secretary selected?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

The General Secretary is the highest-ranking official of the Chinese Communist Party, heading its Central Committee and Politburo and serving as the country's paramount leader.

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In October 2022, at the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping was reappointed General Secretary for a third consecutive five-year term, breaking the post-Deng convention of two-term leadership transitions.

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